Tyson Back With Show of Farce : Boxing: Former champion doesn’t get much out of 89-second victory over McNeeley--except $25 million.

Too soon, too little, too incomplete.

In a fizzling end to an otherwise relatively electrifying evening, Mike Tyson strode back into the ring Saturday night, and proved at the least that, 50 months after his last bout, the mere power of his presence is enough to end fights.

Other questions will have to wait.

Eighty-nine seconds into an action-packed first round against Peter McNeeley, Tyson (42-1) knocked McNeeley down for the second time, stalked back to a neutral corner, then, along with the rest of the sold-out MGM Grand Garden audience, was stunned and unsatisfied by what happened next.

Though McNeeley scrambled up quickly after Tyson’s quick right uppercut knocked him onto his hands and knees, McNeeley’s lead cornerman, Vinny Vecchione, leaped into the ring as McNeeley wobbled briefly against the ring ropes, causing his fighter to be automatically disqualified.

It was the 12th-quickest victory of Tyson’s career--and probably the most empty.

“I came ready to fight, I didn’t think I hit him hard, but he fell,” said Tyson, who sent McNeeley to the canvas for the first time with a hard right eight seconds into the bout. “I was surprised that his corner ran in and stopped it after the second knockdown.

“[But] I’m glad they stopped it. Eventually, he would’ve gotten hurt. He’s a very likable individual. I’m a blood man, I like to win.”

Vecchione, who serves as both McNeeley’s promoter and manager and guided him to this lucrative bout, said that he stepped in not because McNeeley was hurt, but to prevent his fighter from getting hurt any worse.

Vecchione referred to one fighter who died after injuries suffered in a fight and one who is still partially paralyzed.

“I could see Mike coming in with his tremendous speed and balance, and I also remember guys like Jimmy Garcia and Gerald McClellan,” Vecchione said.

McNeeley (36-2) looked surprised moments after the disqualification, but soon was hugging his mother and receiving high-fives from his friends. At the post-fight news conference, he said he supported Vecchione.

“I thought it was the three-knockdown rule, but it was only the second knockdown,” said McNeeley, who received $540,000. “That tells you how puzzled I was. But the people that handle me know better and they made the decision, and I stand behind them.”

McNeeley, as is his custom, came out charging and fired power punches at a crouching Tyson. Almost all of them missed, and Tyson, who earned $25 million for the bout, ripped a few uppercuts and hooks into McNeeley’s head and body during the barrage.

“I was surprised he came at me with that intensity, yes,” a very subdued Tyson said. “I just used my instincts and started throwing punches.”

The first knockdown came almost immediately, when Tyson landed a right hand to the chin eight seconds into the fight. Unhurt, McNeeley immediately charged back at Tyson after rising, but referee Mills Lane grabbed him to start his knockdown count.

“I’m satisfied by my performance,” McNeeley said. “I kept coming back and coming back. I got hit enough to get knocked down, but not knocked out. He’s a quick, snappy puncher.”

After the count, McNeeley charged again, still unable to land anything solid, but the action abated after a minute. Then, suddenly, Tyson pounced on McNeeley and landed a few glancing blows that twice almost forced McNeeley to his knee.

Closing in, then bobbing back to get space, Tyson landed a clean right to McNeeley’s jaw. Though he got up relatively quickly, McNeeley was shaky on his feet.

“It was so damn quick I didn’t even know it was an uppercut,” McNeeley said. “I didn’t know what hit me.”

Watching Vecchione hop into the ring, Tyson looked puzzled as Lane signaled him to a neutral corner. Marc Ratner, the executive director of the Nevada Athletic Commission, said after reviewing the result, Vecchione’s purse of almost $180,000 will be withheld until the manager appears before a commission meeting.

Tyson bolted from the ring long before the official announcement was made, moving through the crowd in only his trunks and shoes with his retinue hurrying behind.

After hugging his mother with a smile and receiving high-fives from his friends, McNeeley followed Tyson out of the arena about 30 seconds later.

So, where does McNeeley rank on Tyson’s list of vanquished foes?

“I’ve beat fighters with bigger reputations quicker, so you tell me,” Tyson said.

Tyson entered the arena with blue laser lights highlighting a stone face and his trademark warm-up clothes: a white towel over his shoulders, no socks, black trunks and black, ankle-high shoes.

As Lane began his pre-fight instructions and ring announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr. introduced the former undisputed champion, the noise built again, louder and louder, and hit a crescendo when the opening bell rang.

“I learned one thing, if I listened to all the articles you wrote about me, I’d think everybody hated me,” Tyson said. “But I guess it’s not true.”

* CASHING IN

Peter McNeeley earned $540,000 for his “work” against Mike Tyson, but he did have to suffer the taunts of the fans. C6

* NORRIS WINS

Terry Norris won back his title after two disqualifications. Julian Jackson lost his crown on a knockout. C6